Oprah Winfrey

“I don’t think you ever stop giving. I really don’t. I think it’s an on-going process. And it’s not just about being able to write a check. It’s being able to touch somebody’s life” (Oprah Winfrey). That was Oprah’s goal in life; to touch somebody’s life. With just the story of childhood abuse, delinquency, and finally her success, she has touched many people’s lives and inspired them to be great. Oprah Winfrey, an iconic character in the media world, not only living as a famous talk show host but also is active in helping people in need. The personal sacrifices she makes and the rough childhood time she has overcome allow her to inspire others and be named a hero.

Oprah as a child (http://3.bp.blogspot.com)

When you watch Oprah on TV or see her in a magazine, she seems to have the perfect life and everything she wants. Yes, it may be that way now, but Oprah’s life growing up was a struggle. Getting to where she is today took great strength and courage. Oprah was born on January 29th, 1954 and lived with her grandmother until she was six years old. She then went to live with her mother in Milwaukee. Her abuse as a child started when she was only nine years old, when she was raped by an older cousin. While living in the rural area of Kosciusko, Mississippi, she received whippings and beatings as punishment for anything she did incorrectly, as that was the common way to punish children. Oprah not only was able to work through the haunting images of her childhood suffering, but also used that pain and turned it into a drive to help other children like her. The troubling life she had, caused her to be somewhat of a delinquent teenager. She even pretended that her house was broken into so she could steal money from her mother’s purse to pay for new glasses. When she was 14, Oprah was sent to live with her father in Nashville, Tennessee so she would learn how to become a well-behaved child. Oprah said that “My father turned my life around by insisting that I be more than I was and by believing I could be more” (Oprah Winfrey qtd. BrainyQuotes.com). She also believed that “if she had not been sent to her father, she would have gone in another direction. She would have the same instincts she has now to become a good criminal” (Winfrey, Oprah (1954- ). Discovering Biography, Online ed. Detroit). As you can see, Oprah definitely did not get everything she wanted as a child. Her fame and success was not handed to her on a platter. First, she had to overcome the struggles she went through as a child, then she had to work up to the position at which she stands today. The perseverance and strength it took Oprah to put her past behind her, and not let it define her, is what puts her in the hero category.

Oprah Curretly (http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/10_04/OprahWinfreyEPA_468x622.jpg)

Oprah went from being an abused, raped, and beaten child, to a wealthy, charitable, successful woman. She was able to overcome her own personal obstacles. She makes sacrifices for the good of others, and she inspires people all over the world to fight for what they want. These three qualities are what make Oprah Winfrey and honorable hero.

Growing up in a small town never stopped Oprah from getting her voice heard. Small towns that are cut off from the big cities often stop dreamers from reaching their goals. Oprah undoubtedly was never stopped by something as small as her town. She knew nothing could stop her when she said, “Books were my pass to personal freedom. I learned to read at age three, and soon discovered that there was a whole world to conquer that went beyond our farm in Mississippi” (Oprah Winfrey qtd. BrainyQuote.com). When Oprah was older, she was the anchor of a talk show that was so successful the name was changed to The Oprah Winfrey Show. This show has now won twenty-five Emmy awards, and Oprah herself has won six Emmy’s for being the host. During the time of Oprah’s childhood, it was still normal to see black and while people separated. She brought black people and white people together on her show, which was an amazing accomplishment for a woman, or anyone for that matter. Only one year after her show was named after her, Oprah was named Woman of Achievement by the National Organization of Women. To add to her list of achievements, Oprah is now one of the wealthiest women in America and the highest paid entertainer in the world (Baker-Robins). Her success proved her words to be true, “Excellence is the best deterrent to racism or sexism” (Oprah Winfrey qtd. BrainQuoted.com). She had donated some of her wealth to organization such as Morehouse College, the Harold Washing Library, The Negro College Fund, and the Tennessee State University. All the accomplishments she made as a once struggling woman is what makes Oprah inspiring to other people with big dreams. She came from a small town; she did not have any connections to the big city life and the big city jobs, like she has now. Oprah is truly an inspiration because of the hard work she put forth to have the life and success she has today.

Oprah at the opening of her school. (http://www.independent..co.uk)

Although Oprah now is an adult, with an outstanding job, a great life, and plenty of money, she still has not stopped giving. Now that she is done fighting to survive, she is helping others with their fight. On January 2nd, 2007 Oprah donated $40 million to open a school for disadvantaged girls in Henley-on-Klip. She has plans to open another school for both boys and girls in KwaZulu-Natal. Also, Oprah generously donated $365,000 to a private inner city academy in Atlanta, Georgia through her own company, Harpo, which is “Oprah” spelled backwards. In the attempt to help children who suffer from similar childhood struggles, Oprah heard of a 1991 story about a four-year-old girl’s molestation and murder and wanted to help. Oprah told People magazine that she wanted to “take a stand for the children of this country” (Baker-Robins). Former Illinois governor James Thompson helped her to propose federal child protection legislation designed to keep nationwide records on convicted child abusers. Oprah’s childhood, along with her fame and fortune give her the drive and ability to give to others, and to help them through their own personal obstacles. Being a very wealthy person never changed Oprah. She said, “Though I’m grateful for the blessings of wealth, it hasn’t changed who I am. My feet are still on the ground. I’m just wearing better shoes” (Oprah Winfrey). Her willingness to use her own wealth to help others is what makes her a hero. Even now she makes personal sacrifices, this time it is to help others. Instead of making the choice to go on a shopping spree, Oprah often makes the choice to donate to others who could use her help more than anything, which truly makes her a hero.